JAC urges necessary steps to help affected people
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 16 2017:
Chairman
of the JAC for Mapithel Dam
Downstream Affected People,
Yumlembam Thoiba has said
that aside from the loss of
livelihood looming over the
people of Tumukhong vilages,
one of the many villages
affected by the project, its
people are afraid that the dam
may burst any moment.
Speaking to media persons
at Manipur Press Club today,
Thoiba said that sources of
livelihood of Tumukhong village
residents have been
declining drastically ever
since work on the dam began
in 2015.
During monsoon that same
year, the villagers even fled
their homes over fear that the
dam might burst any moment.
The villagers are getting
restless again as the monsoon
season approaches, he added.
He further conveyed that
the people of the village who
used to earn their livelihood
by selling the sand and rocks
have been driven out of business
ever since the dam was
created adding that the people
of other villages including
Moirangpurel, Itham,
Laikhong, Nongpok
Keithelmanbi, Nungbrang,
Leirongthel etc are also suffering
the same fate.
The pollutant level in the
water has been rising rapidly
increasing the chances of
water borne diseases and
many types of fishes have
completely disappeared.
Thoiba said that the State
Government has not taken up
any steps to ease the suffering
of the people residing in
the villages affected by the
construction of the dam.
He stated that the JAC has
already submitted numerous
memorandums to the authority
concerned but to no avail.
The JAC also met Chief
Minister N Biren yesterday as
a part of Meeyamgi Numit
and again submitted a memorandum
regarding the plight
of the affected villagers.
However, the CM stood
by the strenght of the dam
and assured that he would
visit the people of
Tumukhong, he added, he
added.
Thoiba expressed
doubt about the condition of
the dam and also expressed
concern regarding the fact that
no expert review committee
has ever come to inspect the
condition of the dam and its
surrounding areas.
The chairman stated that
the JAC would not allow
commissioning of the dam
until and unless the State
Government addresses the
suffering of the affected villagers.
He also pointed out that
many villages in the upper
part of the dam have been
completedly swallowed by
the water.